Finally, the gods of fanfiction took pity on me and allowed me to upload my documents!
Seriously though, fainfiction has been blocking me due to thinking that my documents were viruses, and it was hella annoying!
I'm going to repeat this once again, but please use Wattpad or Ao3 to read my story! (preferably Wattpad)

Hmm... 35 minutes early again, huh. I'm such a nervous prick.

I was standing in front of Crusch's manor, once again. Waiting for Caroline, once again. And I was super early, once again.

But hold up, I actually had a good reason this time! I had to realize what the heck did Caroline mean by that cryptic message!

The one that went: "Also, next time we meet, if you call me Caroline again, I won't forgive you."

Brrr. Just thinking about the eyes she made back then makes the skin on my back crawl.

Which is exactly why I had to understand what she meant by that!

I have been desperately racking my brain since earlier in the morning, but there was only one answer I had found.

She wants pet names!

It's when couples call each other 'honey', 'dear' and stuff like that. Yes, that was the only answer that made sense.

Does that mean that I should call her honey when I see her? It makes sense, but... that's way too embarrassing! And we're not even dating yet!

Yeah, sure, it was clear that Caroline loved me, but I haven't given her an answer (which made me feel like a dick) and calling each other pet names was something people did when they were super close! We were not like that! (Caroline: "Why does my heart suddenly hurt?")

"Hoo~. Calm down. Calm down. I just have to say it, even if I get embarrassed. Just once-... oh no."

I'm going to have to call her that during the entire date!

Saying it just once would've been fine. I would get embarrassed, sure, but it would be bearable.

But for the ENTIRE TIME?!

Hell no! I'd die of embarrassment before 30 minutes pass!

Okay, okay. It's gonna be fine. Just avoid calling her... at all! Just keep saying 'you' and stuff like that. Yeah! That'll work.

I nodded to myself a bunch of times. I had come up with the perfect solution.

"What are you thinking so intently about?"

"Bkhth!"

I lightly jumped as I turned around. Without me realizing it, Caroline had sneaked up behind me.

Caroline: "Hehe. That was a nice reaction." She had an angelic smirk on her face.

Cylob: "So you've arrived." I sigh in relief. "And early at that. Are both of us going to keep coming early everytime?"

Caroline: "Maybe? I quite like the fact that we're like this. Even though you haven't said that you love me, you care about me a lot. I see this as good progress."

Good progress, huh.

I felt a deep painful pang in my heart. She loved me, she truly did, and she even got the courage to confess, but I couldn't return those feelings. It made me feel like a true piece of shit.

...Haaah. There I go being all negative again.

I'm reprimanding myself for things outside my control, it's not like I can just choose to love someone.

I'll just cheer for Caroline to take my heart. If she tries hard enough, I'm sure that she'll eventually succeed. (eventually is such an annoying word)

When I snapped myself back to reality, Caroline was looking me straight in the eyes while her own were sparkling. And she was also-

So close!

I reflexively stepped back. Our faces were so close that it was almost on the level of kissing.

Cylob: "Why the sudden closeness?!"

At that, Caroline blinked a few times in confusion before smiling widely.

Caroline: "Your eyes just look so lively compared to before that I couldn't help it!"

Cylob: "They do...?"

Did she notice that I don't hate myself anymore? How could Caroline see such small differences in my face?

No wait, that's not the problem here. We were so close and she's not embarrassed even a tiny bit?! I know she's straightforward and all, but come on, we were practically kissing! Why am I the one who's more embarrassed when she's the one who loves me?!

Caroline: "Your face is red." She pokes my cheek.

At that, I get even more embarrassed.

Cylob: "It is...?" I bring my hand up to my face.

Caroline: "Just kidding! You're really fun to tease!"

I stare at her, dumbfounded. She was teasing me? Yes, she was, that fact was clear, but what was surprising was the way she was doing it.

She got right up in my face, she touched me, all in all she felt... clingy? No, that's a bad word to describe it. She just felt way closer than she used to be. Almost too close...

Is this what two weeks of despair do to a person?

...

"Heh. Yeah, you're right, I might be really easy and fun to tease... but the same goes for you."

I hold her chin with my right hand and lower down to her level to look her in the eyes.

Her face immediately gets redder.

Cylob: "Not so fun when the jokes on you now, is it?" I smirk and retract my hand.

I might've been calm on the outside the whole time, but I was super embarrassed on the inside. But what can you do? This was comeback for her teasing.

It felt nice seeing her face go red.

Yeah, she might be more clingy and bold now, but she's still the Caroline I know. And her newfound boldness doesn't really feel bad either.

But just as I finished that thought, Caroline smiled while still looking like a tomato.

Caroline: "Let's keep teasing each other then. Let's go!"

She forcefully started dragging me away by the hand.

Whew, crisis averted. Just have to keep this up for the whole day. Just don't call her by her name, it really is that easy.

.▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░-

Aaaand not even 1 minute later we had encountered some thugs.

Caroline took a shortcut through a back alley, but we immediately got intercepted.

Honestly, what the hell are the knights doing in this city if there are so many of these guys? Or is it just fate for otherworlders to bump into them?

Not only have I caught about 10 groups of thugs over my life, Subaru had encountered thugs on his first day here. Were otherworlders some kind of thug magnets?

I chuckle as I visualize that image in my head. (Poor Subaru)

thug A: "What are you chuckling for? Did you go crazy from fear?"

Cylob: "Ah no, it's nothing. By the way..." I appraise the two guys in front of us. "Caroline, you wanna try taking care of them?"

Caroline: "Eh?! What do you mean?"

Cylob: "Well, you're stronger than them, so why not try fighting? You are angry at them for interrupting our date, right? How about letting off some steam? Don't worry, I'll make sure they won't have any weapons."

She suspisiously eyed me and the thugs, her gaze going back and forth.

thug B: "Are making fun of us?! Come on, bro, this guy doesn't know what he's talking about!"

Both of them take out knives and rush at us.

So slow and predictable. I actually feel sorry for them.

Against guys of this level even taking a stance was a waste of time, I just leisurely started walking towards them.

They swung their knives at me, but even without Thought Acceleration, I could easily react and find the best counterattack.

Before their knives could reach me, I just hit their arms in specific spots, which made them drop their weapons. Then I walked behind them, grabbed them by their clothes and yanked them back where they came from.

In the time that they were flying, I picked up the knives and jumped back to the side of Caroline.

Cylob: "So? How about it?"

I turned to look at her, but instead of the expression I was expecting, she was looking at me with cold eyes. I could feel myself shrinking from her gaze.

"What did you just say?"

I was shivering from the sheer power in her voice.

Eh? Uh? What does she mean by that? Did I say something wrong?

I thought back to what I said, and I realized that I had messed up. I had called her 'Caroline'.

Ahh, yeah, I ef'd up. Should I just accept my death?- Hell no.

Cylob: "L-listen, I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you want me to call you. You've been so cryptic, you know? Why not at least a hint?"

She glared at me with those cold eyes for a bit, before sighing and pouting.

Caroline: "If I said that I was jealous of Wilhelm, would that be enough of a hint for you?"

Cylob: "Wilhelm...?"

I tried to think what she could be jealous of-

*thunk* *thunk*

Caroline: "Hm? What was that sound?"

Cylob: "I just threw the knives at the thugs as they were starting to stand up, and don't worry I used the blunt side, but Wilhelm, huh..."

No matter how much I thought, there wasn't anything to be jealous of in our relationship.

Just what kind of thing is between me and Wil-san for her to- Ah, I see.

I searched through my memories, and indeed, I could see how this was something she could be mad about. I don't think it's at the level where you need to be that mad, though.

Cylob: "A good hint indeed. Thanks, Carol."

Carol: "Took you a while. Do you know how annoying it was? You started calling me Carol, which signified just how close we had gotten, but then you stopped using it. It felt like the gap between us had widened by a large margin."

She pouted even harder while poking my side. Contrary to the chilling look from before, she was just slightly glaring now, and it was kinda cute.

Cylob: "Heh, to think that a nickname would be that important to you. Hell, it's not even a nickname, just a shortened version of your name."

Carol: "It doesn't matter what it is. It's still importa~nt." She pushed her finger into my side to the point that it started to hurt.

Cylob: "Ouch ouch, alright I get it, so stop poking me!"

I was once again harshly reminded of her abnormal strength.

Anyway, after some more banter we called for knights to apprehend the thugs and went on with our day. Not before Carol kicked both of them in the face though.

Their face structures most likely changed from that kick. I shivered a bit.

.▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░-

Hehe. Heh. Hehehe.

I was trying my hardest to hold in my laughter. Why? Because the scene in front of me was just that comedic.

I would've normally been pretty angry, but Carol was being angry enough for the both of us.

I mean, the look she's giving the thugs doesn't lose to the cold look from before.

thug C: "D-don't think that we'll be scared j-j-j-j-just because of a glare!"

thug D: "Yeah! T-that's ri- Heee!"

In the middle of their speech, Carol cracked her knuckles and maded a small smile.

thug C: "We're sorry, We're sorry! We'll give you everything we have!"

They literally prostrated in front of us and put their wallets in front of our feet.

The whole thing was so comedic that my stomach started to hurt from holding in my laughter.

"Leave."

""Y-yes!"" They saluted and ran out of here.

...

"BwahahaHAHAHAAAAA! Holy shit that was so good! Oh my god."

I couldn't hold in my laughter any longer, I mean, who could? This whole interaction just felt so...surreal.

Like, I knew that I got transported into a fictional world, but this was the most fictional-like interaction I've seen yet.

Geez. Women are scary, aren't they?

My whole body unconsciously tenses up and the smile disappears from my face. I could feel instinctive danger from somewhere.

"Did you just think something bad?"

Cylob: "Absolutely not. I was just thinking about how pathetic the thugs were."

I answered without any delay and without any problems -is what I would like to say, but I had to use Thought Acceleration to come up with a good excuse. I mean, even Ashna was warning me that the situation was dangerous.

Carol: "Alright. Let's get going then. I don't want to waste any more time."

She grabbed my hand and started power walking.

.▒░▒░▒░▒░-

Okay, yeah no, this isn't even funny at this point.

We were once again greeted by two thugs once we turned the corner.

What the hell is with our luck today? And why is it always exactly two thugs?

While I was thinking that, I picked Carol up in a princess carry.

Carol: "Eh?!"

Cylob: "Just enjoy being carried by me for now." I smile cooly.

I jump onto the thugs' heads and use them to do a forward leap to take out the thugs and progress forward all in one move.

Instead of touching the ground, I jump by using the walls as leverage. Carol was pointing where I should go, and I kept jumping and jumping.

While I was jumping we encountered even more thugs. Like, it was genuinely a stupid amount.

I, of course, used their heads as footstools every time, but I couldn't help but be baffled by their amount.

In this one trip, I had already taken down, like, 10 thugs.

Is Subaru nearby or something? He's a trouble magnet, so this amount of thugs can only be explained by his existence.

That was an interesting topic to think about, but I was on a date. I coudn't go thinking about random things.

Finally, we got out of the back alley and into the light of day.

I carefully put Carol on the ground, and when I looked at her face, I could see that, while it wasn't completely red, it was at least pink.

I wasn't embarrassed at all though. Maybe it was because I was seeing what happened as a kind of battle, so I didn't care about how other people saw what I did, I just cared about doing it.

That's a win for me then. 2-1 in my favor.

I had started taking our teasing as a sort of competition once Carol said that we'd tease each other a lot more.

Obviously my goal was to win, and I was pretty sure it was gonna be easy. I mean, even if she gets me momentarily, as long as I don't change my expression, it won't really count. After all, I can't blush, so as long as my expression remains normal, I'll win.

Come on, Cylob! There's no way you're going to lose!

Cylob: "Should we get going, milady?"

I gracefully extend my hand for her to take. (Studying Julius' movements wasn't for nothing!)

But intead of taking my hand, she locked our elbows together and started dragging me. She looked at me and grinned with unparalleled enthusiasm.

I could only regain control of my body one second after I saw that smile of hers.

...There's no way I'm going to lose, right?

.▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒.

Noooo! How did this happen?!

I say my order to the waiter with a smile.

Goddamnit! Such a huge advantage, but so useless!

I give the waiter a look of pity as he was being bombarded with questions by Carol.

How... How is it 8-10 in her favor?!

I had been destroyed. Absolutely and utterly destroyed.

Even with the advantage of not blushing, she had won.

You might think that I'm exaggerating about being utterly destroyed, but I'm not. If I was still a human it would've been something like 8-27, so calling it absolute destruction isn't an overstatement.

I had completely lost.

...But that doesn't really matter, huh.

I might've said that winning was my objective, but that was just me tricking myself.

In truth, I just wanted for Carol to have the best day ever, and I decided that teasing her was the best way to do that.

Whenever I see that smile on her face, my chest feels lighter after all.

But as much as seeing that smile brought me joy, could you please not trouble the waiter that much? I'm pretty sure even the tables around us have started to give him looks of pity.

I wryly smile as the waiter glances at me from the corner of his vision.

Cylob: "Hey, Carol, I understand how excited you are, but please read the room a bit. If you really want to know more, ask me instead."

Carol: "Ah! Um, sorry, waiter-san. I'll just have what he's having."

At that, I could almost hear a *crack* from the waiter as his smile was barely plastered on his face.

Even I can't stay calm here. I mean, you asked so many questions, and then you just went with what I had?! That makes it seem like you just wasted his time!

Where was her working persona when she needed it? Like, seriously, this situation was more embarrassing than the kiss on the cheek from 2 hours ago.

The waiter left with his smile barely hanging on, and we were left to ourselves.

I sigh in exasperation as I look at the beaming Carol.

Cylob: "Carol, please... could you contain yourself? The looks we're getting are hurting me on an emotional level."

There was no way she would listen to normal convincing, so I had no choice but to put myself as the victim. Since she cares about me, if she understands that her behavior is troubling me, she will stop.

That doesn't mean she won't fight back though.

She pursed her lips.

Carol: "I can't help it. There's just so much new food."

I've never really thought about it, but is she a glutton? I mean, she seems to like food to an unprecedented level. But that's not really a glutton, is it? She's more like... a food critic? That sounds weird but that's the best comparison I can make.

Cylob: "Nevertheless, restrain is important. And remember, it's me who you're troubling, not yourself."

Carol: "Ngh. Using yourself as a victim... fine. I'll try to be a little more restrained."

She was frowning, but this was necessary. Even if I didn't like seeing that frown, she had to learn where to draw boundaries for these type of things.

Aside from work, she hasn't had any experience of talking to people for the past 2 years. And even then they were just friends, not strangers. She had to learn how to talk to strangers.

Cylob: "You'll act more restrained even when I'm not there, right?"

This was a technicality that she could use. If I'm the problem, then if I'm not there, it's fine. -I have to make sure she doesn't think like that.

Carol: "Ngh... fine."

I smile at her as she frowns even harder.

You're not gonna be able to take advantage of a technicality against the king of technicalities.

Now that this was done, I had some time to check up on myself.

I closed my eyes and checked the situation in my Stomach.

Hmm... Seems fine for now. Should be fine to just do it at evening.

I was, of course, talking about Void Energy (new name for 'The Power').

After some thinking and testing, it was pretty clear that the rate at which I got it was directly linked to my mental state. The worse my mental state, the more Void Energy entered my Stomach.

The fact that almost none of it was entering my stomach right now meant that I was in an especially good mood.

Just being around Carol makes me happier so that's a given though.

...Wait, what?

I carefully analyzed what I just thought. 'Just being around her makes me happier'? What the hell? Isn't that just straight up love?

...No use thinking about it. There's no way I can actually know whether this is love or not.

I waved the thought away and opened my eyes.

When I looked, Carol was staring in a random direction, fully focused. No wait the direction wasn't random, she was looking in the direction of the kitchen.

Cylob: "Are you so excited for the food that you can't help but look at it getting prepared?"

Her eyes - which seemed out of it - regained focus, and she looked at me.

Carol: "Huh? O-oh, yeah. That's right." Her eyes awkwardly darted around.

I thought that she reacted pretty weirdly, but I didn't pay it much mind.

Cylob: "Well, since you seemed so into it, you can keep looking into the kitchen, I won't get bored by myself."

She nodded with an "Mhm." and stared into the kitchen once again.

She looked so enthusiastic, that I couldn't help but smile.

If she likes food that much, should I buy some for her as a present some time?

As I was looking at her focused figure, time passed in the blink of an eye, and before I noticed it, we were already on our way out.

Cylob: "Now that I think about it, maybe it wasn't so bad that you copied my order. At least this time, we didn't have a bunch of uneaten food."

Carol: "Right, right! It wasn't a bad idea, was it?" She said with a big smile.

I look at her with the most deadpan expression I can muster, and I staaaaaaaare.

Carol: "C-come on, don't look at me like that."

I staaaaaaare.

Carol: "F-fine. I won't do it again."

Cylob: "Good. Did you really not notice that I was being sarcastic? There's no way I would actually condone something like that."

Carol: "Well, your tone was the same as normal and your expression too. Kinda hard to realize it's sarcasm if you don't give any hints."

Cylob: "True that. I guess I'm still in the mindset of teasing you so I'm trying not to show any emotions. Not being able to control my own body, classic me, right? Speaking of teasi-"

Carol: "Can we talk seriously for a bit?"

I stummer a bit at her sudden tone. She was serious, really serious. When I looked in her eyes, the cheerfulness from just a moment before wasn't there.

I wasn't sure why she decided to shift the tone so suddenly, but I decided to not pay it much mind.

Cylob: "Sure. I'm not against a serious talk."

Carol: "Good."

She sat down on a nearby bench and patted at the spot where she wanted me to sit. I sat down and looked into her serious eyes once again.

Cylob: "So what is it? What made you so serious?"

Carol: "You're not serious at all..." she grumbled, "but whatever. I want to talk about your low confidence."

Cylob: "This topic? Really? Again? What do we even have left to talk about it?"

Carol: "Hasn't it been getting worse lately?"

Cylob: "No...? Not really? How could you even come to that conclusion? I think it's actually been getting better. I mean, I managed to wound Wil-san, you know? That's a huge accomplishment."

Carol: "Then why did you make a joke about you being useless?"

Cylob: "I did that...?"

Carol: "Yes, you did! Just before I got serious!"

I think back a bit.

Ah yeah, she's right. I actually did joke about how incompetent I am.

Cylob: "Listen, I might've said that, but I don't think it's because I think that lowly of myself."

Carol: "Then why?"

Cylob: "Hmm... I'm not sure myself. Maybe to cope with death?"

Carol: "Ah..."

She had a look of realization and pity on her face.

Cylob: "Yep, that's right. It's to cope with what I did when I was a shadow. I might've resolved myself, but that doesn't mean that the guilt is gone. There's still a little gremlin in the back of my mind that's spewing insults at me for killing them. I can shut most of the sound off, but it still hurts me on an emotional level."

Carol now had a face full of sadness and pity.

Agh, dammit! I don't want to see that face! Smile!

Cylob: "But hey! It's fine~. It's not nearly as bad as you think it is!"

At that, her expression got even worse.

Cylob: "Right, joking about serious things like this won't make you feel better. *sigh* Damn human emotions. Listen, this is something that can't be fixed, it's something you get used to, and I've been getting used to negative comments from myself for my whole life, so I'm gonna be fine. What I don't want to get used to though, is seeing that frowning face. So cheer up, or I'm gonna force a smile onto your face."

Carol: "Don't even try to escape from this topic-!"

Cylob: "You asked for it." I shrug.

With zero hesitation, I brought my hands beneath her armpits and started tickling her.

Carol: "What's- Pff! Haha- Stop! Hehe- No! Sto- Hehaha!"

She's weak to tickling, huh.

Cylob: "I'll stop if you promise to smile."

Carol: "Alri- Haha! I Pro- *hick* mise!"

I immediately stop.

She recovers from so much laughing while glaring at me and wiping away the tears.

Carol: "Why did you do that?" She pouts.

Cylob: "I told I'll be fine, but you decided to take it further, so that's your punishment. If I wasn't sure whether I'll be fine, I would straight up say that. Besides, you look much better this way. Your eyes aren't on the verge of watering now."

She widens her eyes in surprise.

I stand up from the bench.

Cylob: "Now, let's keep going. We still have half the date left. I can't wait to see the smiling Carol again."

I extend my hand for her to take.

She lowers her head until I can't see her expression.

"9 to 27 now..."

Even with my super hearing, I couldn't tell what she mumbled.

She gripped my hand very tightly and looked up at me with her usual beaming smile.

Carol: "Let's go!"

She started dragging me by the hand once again, with the usual superhuman grip on my arm.

I couldn't help but smile at that.

Yep, no need for a somber mood, this is a date after all. This is best.